Timing attachment for camera-shutters.



E. D. WATSON. TIMING ATTACHMENT FOR CAMERA SHUTTERS.

APPLICATION FILED UU'[.21.1909.

M m W A W h m A m M m E a 5 59A 1 3 M6 M12 2 m 1 z m J M 1 4% w HIS ATTO NEY.

EDGAR D. WATSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF 'ro SYDNEY WATSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

TII IING ATTACHMENT FOR CAMERA-SHUTTERS.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed october 21, 1909.

Patented Jan. 2,1912. Serial No. 523,752.

To all whom it m a'y concern."

Be it known that I, EDGAR lVa'rsoN, citizen of the United-States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented, new and useful Improvements-in Timing Attachments for Camera-Shutters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates ating device.

It is the object of this invention to provide a time controlled mechanism for the purpose of'actuating trip levers and the like after the lapse of a predetermined interval of time, and which invention is simple in operation and construction.

This invention is especially adapted for use on, and as an attachment to, cameras, for the purpose of operating the release lover of the shutter in making instantaneous exposures. By the use of this attachment it is possible for the operator of a camera autoto a'time set actumatically to take instantaneous exposures,

thus enabling him to set up and focus the camera and then leave it to be operated at a certain time without the use of air tubes, or electrical or mechanical connections of any kind. This permits of the taking of photographs from points where itwould be dangerous for an operator to remain for any great length of time, and also allows him to take photographs with himself in the view. It will be manifest that this particular application of the invention is but one of many uses to which it may be put.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the invention as applied to a camera. Fig. 2 is a vertical section ofihe time actuating device removed. Fig. 3 is a plan view of-Fig. 2. ig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section on the line XX, Fig; 2,.with parts broken away.

In the drawings, A is the case or housing of the operative mechanism. This case is constructed in a manner common in clock construction, with upper and lower disks 2 and 3 mounted. upon separating posts 4 and containing a drum or winding barrel 5, coil spring 6, escapernent- 7, balance wheel 8,

winding of the drum hair-spring 9, and spur wheels 1010, such as are used in an ordinary clock train.

The winding drum 5 is mounted between the disks 2 and as shown. in Fig. 2, and has an indicator or pointer 11 on its upper end which rides on the face of the disk 2 within a dial 11 which is numbered atsuitable intervals, in this case from 1. up to 10, indicating minutes or other intervals of time. The winding or turning and setting of the drum or barrel 5 is done by a milled thumb-piece 16 on a key stem projcction 1.5. A plunger or presser member 12 is slidably mounted within the winding drum 5 and has a longitudinal rib 13 formed thereon which is adapted to slide up and down in a slot 14 on the inside of the drum 5', in such manner that as the winding drum is revolved by the unwinding of the spring 6, the plunger or presser 12 rotates in unison therewith. The stem 15 attached to the plunger 12 extends upward through the top of the case A and is provided with the thumb-piece 16 at its upper end. The lower disk 3 is perforated at the lo'werend. of the drum '5 with an opening which will permit of the passage of the plunger 12, a notch 17 being provided at a certain point through which the rib 13 on the plunger 12 can pass. A spiral spring 18 within the drum 5 tends always to push the plunger 12 outward whenever the rib 13 and slot 17 are in mg ister. Beneath the spur wheel 10 and mounted on the winding drum 5 is a ratchet wheel 19, the teeth of which correspond to the numbered divisions on the dial 11. A spring pawl 20 mounted on the under side of spur wheel 10 is continually in engagement with. the ratchet 19, so that as the drum 5 is being revolved by the unwinding of the spring 6, the spur wheel 10 rotates therewith and is acted upon by the clock train, before described, in the usual manner. This spring pawl 20 and ratchet 19 also permit of the 5 and the spring 6 through the stem 15 and plunger 12, as later described. without making a baclcset in the clock train.

In order to couple this device to an actuating lever. as 23. which may be the ordinary lever of a camera shutter, I may employ the following means: Assuming the device to be properly supported, the lower end too of the plunger 12 is connected to an adjustvided for sta'tting the clock train after the spring 6 has been wound which consist of a bell-crank lever 27 actuated by a push-button 28 in such manner that as the button 28 is suddenly depressed. the lever 27 will kick a projecting'lug on the/balance wheel 8 to start the clock aetion; the lever 27 being quickly returned by a spring 29. Means may be also provided for signaling or indicating when the time set has been released. and may consist of a rocking-bar 30 pivoted at 31 and having its short end loosely em bracing the stem and a semaphore 32 mounted on its outer end.

The operation of the invention is as follows: Assuming that itis required to operatea camera shutter atthe end of five minutes. and the mechanism of the device is in a normal position. which is with the spring 6 unwound and the plunger or presser 12 projecting through the bottom plate 3 of the case A. the plunger 12 is drawn upward into the winding drum 5 by means of the thumb piece 16 and stem 15. and against the tension of the spring 13. When the member 12 is in its uppermost position the rib 13 thereon is above the notch 17 in the plate 3 and is within the groove 14 in the winding drum A slight turn of the thumb-piece 16 rotates the member 12 and drum 5, thus throwing the rib 13 out of alinement with the notch 17. Continued rotation of the drum 5 winds the coil spring 6 thereon, the spring pawl engaging a notch on the ratchet wheel 19 as the pointer 11 reaches each numbered division on the dial 11"; itbeing understood that the pointer 11 travels with the drum 5. The spring pawl 20 and ratchet 19 prevent the spring 6 from unwinding. When the pointer reaches the numeral 5 on the dial 11 which corresponds to five minutes of time, the spring 6 has been woundsuliiciently to require five minutes time in unwinding. when regulated by the clock train in the usual manner. On releasing the thumb-piece 1.6 after setting. the member 12 is kept in the barrel and the spring 18 is under tension so long as the rib 13 is out of register with notchil'i'; the unnotehed portion of plate 3 forming a stop to limit the outward movement of the member 12. To set the clockwork in motion, press down upon the push-button 28; thereby 1e BEST AVAILABL'L ver 27 starts the clockwork to runnmg, allowing the spring 6 to slowly unwind and rotate the drum back to its original position. If it were not for some sort oi eririter, like the bell-crank 27, it would be necessary to shake the device to set the balance wheelin motion, and this would be ilnpracticalin most. cases. .'\s soon as the plunger 12 is directly opposite the opening in the plate 3,v and the rib 13 registers with the notch 17, it is forced outward by the spring 11:, thus pressing down the releasing lever 23 through the adjustable coupling rod 21, to operate the camera shutterin the usual mann r. As the presser12 drops down, the thumlrpiece 16 engages the collar on the short arm of the rocking-bar 30 and pulls it downward so as to raise the signal 32 nearly perpendicular,

thusindicating that the camera has been operated.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is r 1. In a time releasing device, the eonmination of a rotatable member, a presser member turnable and longitudinally IO(Jl])i' -vtll )l0. clock mechanism for rotating the first named member, and means normally restraining and periodically permitting the presser member to move relatively to the rotatable member at the expiration of a prcdetermined period.

In a time releasing device, the combination of a rotatable member, a normally re tracted presser member rotatable with the first-named member, and having an independent longitudinal movement, and a stop plate through which the'presser member opcrates, said stop plate and presser member having a co-acting' notch and lugholding the presser member under retraction at one period and releasing it when the ro atable member is operated to bring said I I notch into register. I

3. The combination with a rotatable barrel member, of clock mechanism for turning the same, a prcsser member housed in the barrel, said presser member having means for holding it in the barrel, and

means normally restraining and periodically permitting the presser member to be released through the medium of the clock mechanism. '4. The combination with a barrel, of clock mechanism for rotating the same, a springactuated presser member longitudinally reeiprocable. in the barrel, and co-act ing stop means for holding the presser memher under retraction in the barrel, said barrel being rotatable by the clock mechanism to release the presser member at the expiration of a predetermined period.

5. The combination of a rotatable barrel, clock mechanism for operating the same, a spring-actuated presser memberin the barrel, a stop-plate over the end of the barrel and having a perforation to pass the presser member, said member having a rib operat ing in conjunction with said plate to maintain the presser member-in the barrel.

6. The combination of a rotatable barrel, clock mechanism for operating the same, a spring-actuated presser member reciprocal in the barrel, said presser member having a stem projection at one end, a pointer on said stem, and a dial over which the pointer is adapted to travel, and means for permitting the presser member to project from the barrel when the latter stands in one position, and for maintaining the presser member in the barrel whenever the barrel is turned out of that position.

7. The combination of a reciprocating spring-actuated presser member, a rotatable member connected therewith, clock mechanism for rotating the second member, and stop means for limiting the reciprocating movement of the presser member in one direction, said stop means including a rib on the presser member and a part over which the rib operates to hold the presser member under retraction in-one direction of the rotation of the second member and past which said rib escapes when the second member is rotated in another direction.

8. The combination of a rotatable barrel member, a presser member reciprocal therein, a stop-plate havinga hole anda radial slot, said presser member being in line with said hole and having a rib alinable with said slot, means to rbtate the presser member to carry said rib out of line with said radial slot, and clock mechanism fortnrnin the presser memberto bring said rib bacl t into line with said radial slot.

9. The combination of a rotatable barrel member, a presser member reciprocal therein, a stop-plate having a hole and a radial slot, said presser member being in line with said hole and having a rib alinable with. said slot, means to rotate the presser member to carry said rib out of line with said radial slot, and clock mechanism for turning the presser member to bring said rib back into line with said" radial slo't, said presser member carrying an extensible articulated coupler.

10. In a timing device, the combination of a rotatable barrel member, a spring-actuated presser member housed therein, clock mechanism including a balance wheel to operate the barrel member, a disk having a notch permitting the presser member to move lengthwise of the barrel when the latter is turned to its limit in one direction, a lug on the presser member by which said member is retained in the barrel when the latter is turned out of said position, and a device operative on the balance wheel for setting the clock mechanism in operation.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing; witnesses.

EDGAR D. WATSON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES A. Pnnrmm, RAYMOND A. LEONARD. 

